Clear communication is essential in healthcare and education—yet complex language and unfamiliar terminology often create barriers that impact understanding, patient safety, and learning outcomes. This interactive webinar is designed to equip medical library staff and faculty with practical plain language strategies that make information more accessible, engaging, and effective for diverse audiences.

Participants will explore the core principles of plain language and learn how to apply them when creating instructional materials, research guides, patient education resources, and faculty communications. Through real-world examples, before-and-after exercises, and discussion, attendees will discover how small adjustments in wording, structure, and design can significantly improve comprehension and connection.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

-Define plain language and explain its connection to health literacy and patient outcomes.

-Apply plain language strategies to both written and spoken communication.

-Integrate clear communication practices into library instruction, patient education, and faculty or clinical collaboration.

Presenter

Jessica Daly is the Health Literacy Coordinator at the R.A. Williams Library at AdventHealth University in Orlando, Florida, where she also serves as a faculty librarian with the rank of Assistant Professor.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Library Science from East Carolina University. A published author, columnist, and public speaker, Jessica is a dedicated health literacy educator and advocate. Her years of experience as a medical research librarian working within a large healthcare organization and as a family caregiver is where she learned the importance of health literacy for both patients and clinicians. 

Her contributions to the field have earned her several prestigious awards, including Hospital Librarian of the Year (2020) from the Southern Chapter of the Medical Library Association, the Exemplary Instructional Programs or Services Award (2022) from the Florida Library Association, and most recently, Librarian of the Year (2024) from the Florida Health Sciences Library Association. She has earned her Consumer Health Information Specialization – Level I (CHIS) from the Medical Library Association as well as her IHA Health Literacy Specialist Certificate.

If you are a LILRC Hospital Member Librarian and are interested in watching this webinar for credit, please contact Sally Stieglitz at sstieglitz@lilrc.org to request a code.

NOTE: This program is available for viewing only. Attendees will not have access to slides, handouts, or recordings. No CEU's will be issued.  LILRC does not have access to speaker contact information.  Through our partnership with MLA, LILRC is given a limited number of seats to open up to our members for viewing purposes only.  This program is not hosted by LILRC, LILRC staff will not be able to assist in accessing this webinar.  If you are having trouble accessing this program please refer to the instructions provided in the Zoom Link email. 

Code of Conduct

For questions, please email Eliscia Cirrone, ecirrone@lilrc.org.

FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS -

1. If you do not receive a confirmation email after registering, please contact Eliscia Cirrone, ecirrone@lilrc.org to check your registration.

2.  If you have any questions regarding this program or registration and program access, please contact Eliscia Cirrone, ecirrone@lilrc.org

3. Please be advised, all invoices for events, programs, or conferences must be paid no later than 60 days from the event date to avoid account suspension.